Reports on mass communications surveillance launched in Mexico, South Africa

By Leila Nachawati Rego Publisher: APCNews     Madrid,

Surveillance, America's Past Time. Image: Jared Rodriguez / t r u t h o u t; Adapted: naixn, Jason Smith / feastoffun.comSurveillance, America’s Past Time. Image: Jared Rodriguez / t r u t h o u t; Adapted: naixn, Jason Smith / feastoffun.com
The latest Global Information Society Watch report is devoted to the analysis of communications surveillance in 57 countries. After the global launch of the report at the Internet Governance Forum in September 2014, local launches have taken place throughout the world to promote engagement by different stakeholders in their regions.

Mexico does not have a legal and institutional framework to combat online surveillance

“Mexico does not have a legal and institutional framework to combat online surveillance,” authors Cédric Laurant and Monserrat Laguna Osorio conclude in the Mexico Global Information Society Watch (GISWatch) report, presented on 14 April 2015 at the San Lázaro Legislative Palace, in Mexico DF*.

During a meeting organised by SonTusDatos, the Comisión Especial de Agenda Digital y Tecnologías de la Información and APC, experts on ICTs and national security, along with legislators and human rights defenders, will gather at the chamber of deputies to analyse the challenges posed by government surveillance in the country.

Thanks to greater post-Snowden awareness on government surveillance, the report’s findings have been widely echoed by local and national media.

Growing evidence of South Africa’s security cluster becoming increasingly powerful and unaccountable

Meanwhile, South Africa is preparing for the local launching of its GISWatch report, which discusses communications interception through the case of the Sunday Times, the biggest weekend newspaper in the country. According to the report, “There has been growing evidence of South Africa’s security cluster – consisting of the police, the intelligence services and the military – becoming increasingly powerful and unaccountable.”

GISWatch South Africa will be presented on 29 April 2015 at Johannesburg’s Richmond Forum.



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